The Unusual Candidate
by ScotlandNeedsWerewolves
Summary: Two sisters of the Blue Ajah stumble upon a wilder with a very strange ambition.  When they decide to take her to the White Tower, they are surprised when she shows no resistance.  But is the Tower ready for someone like this?  Rated for excessive alcohol


Chapter 1: The Running Blade

Every patron in the Rusted Blade turned towards the door when a stranger walked in. Before them stood a tall young man wearing an old, brown leather coat that stopped at his waist, he wore brown linen pants spotted with grass stains on the knees and hindquarters, coupled with dried mud as if he slept mostly outdoors. He wore a deep green tunic that hung a little loosely. Over his feet were worn black boots that rose to a bit over his knees. It was apparent that this lad was Arafellin as he wore his red hair in two long braids with bells at the ends and strapped across his back were two swords. He seemed a bit shorter than most Borderland men as he was only a few inches taller than most of the inn's patrons, mostly from lands farther south than Arafel. However, a short Borderlander was not the strangest thing they had seen. In fact, the strangest part of this newcomer was his hat. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that was tilted to cover most of his face. The patrons' eyes lingered on the young man before finally breaking away pair by pair.

The grin visible on the stranger's face said that he didn't mind the slight glares as they turned away. He had expected as much from a crowd of Cairhienins and a few Andorans, evidently. As he moved his legs, striding into the inn, he demonstrated a great amount of grace in his fluid movements, something rather unexpected from someone who looked like he hadn't had a real bed to sleep in for about a month.

Little did the patrons know, the atmosphere of the tavern would change in short order when the young stranger ordered a round of ale for everyone in a strong, low voice. Within half an hour, it seemed like everyone was patting his back and treating him like a friend. His grin had turned into a smile rather quickly, and his laugh seemed to be infecting all the snobbish Cairhienins and the prudish Andorans into laughter as well.

After a round of singing and more drinking, an Andoran man with brown peppered gray hair slung his arm around the stranger's neck and asked with a smile on his face, "What are you called, friend?"

The Arafellin newcomer had to bend over slightly to sober himself from his laughter. "My name is Kaci. Yours?"

Kaci's new friend told him his name, but in thirty more minutes and a few more pints, he forgot what it was. With time, the whole inn was singing songs from what seemed like every nation, and if the words were forgotten or unknown, they were improvised with hoots and hollers, and nonsensical lyrics. The inn moved on like this until the night was no longer young and the group of patrons lounged in their chairs and sometimes on the table as best they could to talk and chat amongst themselves. In this calmer time, Kaci revealed that he was a traveling swordsman, and that he had been trained by a Blademaster since his youth and had been sent out his own a few years ago, his mentor believing that he was ready. Perhaps one or two of his newfound friends had met or seen a Blademaster, but none of them had seen one in the area recently. He simply shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

"That simply gives me more time to train and spar. And travel, of course."

In the midst of this socializing, Kaci's happy and nearly delirious eyes suddenly shot to attention. He sat up in his chair as if he suddenly remembered some obligation. Before anyone could ask why he was acting in such a strange manner, Kaci sprang out of his chair and ran with the same grace that had carried him into the inn. The innkeeper, perhaps the most sober person in the inn, remarked on what a strange sight it was to see someone as intoxicated as that young man carry himself like a cat.

Kaci ran as if possessed through the inn and into the kitchen, hurling himself out of the back door, ignoring the hollers of the cooks and waitresses. Once outside, he ran as fast as he could in the dark. Looking behind himself, he watched for his unseen, but thoroughly felt pursuers. Turning back to his path, he ran into something that felt like a wall at first. Then he realized it was actually a very large, very muscled and armored man. He just hadn't seen him approach. The man's cloak sported shifting colors that blended into their surroundings, which would explain why he did not see him. Looking around, he spotted men in similar garbs. So, they finally had him. Maybe he could fool the Warders if their Aes Sedai were not present. "Gentlemen…gentlemen…I have done nothing to offend your Tower. I swear to the Light." He paused, thinking of his actions and added, "I know it may look suspicious, since I ran from the inn, but I promise you…I…" His words trailed off as his true pursuers walked up from around the inn.

Two women in blue dresses wearing blue-fringed shawls calmly strode onto the scene. "Had it not been for that knot of Air around your mouth and throat, we would have let you go," the one on the right said. The one on the left held her hand out and a sphere of light hovered over it.

Quickly, Kaci dodged around the Warder and ducked under any arms to try and get away, but two thick threads of Air whipped around his ankles and tripped him. He quickly stood up and attempted to sever the threads with his own threads of Air and Spirit, but a shield stopped him. Now that he was stopped, the two Warders caught up to him and stood side by side. Kaci waited until the two Aes Sedai had walked up to him before turning around.

The Blue that had spoken first was an Andoran woman with dark hair. She sent a weave of Air and lifted Kaci's hat from his head, revealing features of his face that were unmistakably female. Now that her true identity had been revealed, she let the weave of Air around her mouth and throat that disguised her voice unravel. She crossed her arms and waited for the Aes Sedai to speak up again.

"Now that you are ore truthful with us…the next question is…are you a Kinswoman or a wilder?" The second Blue asked with a distinctly Tarabonner accent.

Kaci sighed, hanging her head now. She nodded, her face still facing the ground. She lifted it up, though, when the blood started rushing there in its sensitive state. "Right… I'm a wilder." Letting go of Saidar, she leaned her weight on one leg and tapped her foot with the other. "I've been training myself, too," she admitted. "For about three years. But, honestly my swords are more important to me than the One Source…or…the True Power…whichever."

"Your swords are more important?" the Andoran Blue asked.

"Yes. Yes, they are."

"Apparently, so is the drink."

Kaci's ears perked up when one of the Warder's spoke up with a Saldaean accent. He sounded familiar, too. Well…there was no point in lying to Aes Sedai. She had been in this fix before, and each time the Aes Sedai decided that she was either too old to enroll in the Tower or that she didn't have enough dedication. "…Yes. That, too." She didn't exactly see why he had wanted to mention the drink, but she didn't question it.

The two Aes Sedai exchanged glances before turning back to the wilder in question. "We will discuss matters inside the tavern," the Andoran said. "Layas, Tevram, please make sure that she stays in the tavern while we are indisposed."

"You won't have to watch too hard, gents. I know when I've been caught. And at least I was not defeated in a sword fight. Shall we?" she asked, turning to the Warders. They started ahead and she followed, flanked by the men in the strange cloaks.

When the three were inside the tavern and the two Sisters had gone back to their quarters, the patrons had quieted down a good bit. Apparently, they were rather nervous around the women of the Tower, too. Many of them seemed intrigued that Kaci was actually a girl, though. She explained to the more curious ones that she had learned to channel the One Power when she was around seventeen, when she was hung over after her mentor in the sword had set her on her own. She practiced with her newfound ability, but she was more interested in her skills with the sword. The two Warders intimidated the men silently and they trickled away until she was alone with Layas and Tevram.

"Tevram," she said, turning to the Saldaean man. "I haven't seen you in perhaps two years. How is your girl…that…S…Syrandae?"

"Hm…" the Borderman said, scratching his characteristically long nose. "She left me about a year ago. She said I was too obedient. And then I met Ryn Sedai," he explained. "She's forceful, too, but…"

"You do better with instruction," Kaci finished for him. "Don't worry, though, that means you know your place. Or something eloquent and philosophical like that."

Tevram nodded, but kept silent after that. She could tell further conversation would make him uncomfortable, so she warned the men that she was just going to the bar to get something to drink and wasn't planning on leaving the inn before standing and doing just as she had promised. She sipped at her ale for a while before her stomach rumbled. She flagged down a waitress and ordered whatever the special was, or just something for her stomach. She wasn't in the mood for anything in particular. However, the Aes Sedai arrived before her food did.

"Well…child…" the Andoran, whom she assumed to be Ryn, said, pausing a bit. Of course, they had chased her down and had not bothered to learn her name.

"My name's Kaci Saratome, Aes Sedai. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Child," she said, placing emphasis on the word now. "I, Ryn Sedai, and my Sister, Liandra Sedai have decided to escort you to the White Tower as a possible novice."

Kaci opened her mouth to say something smug, but she had honestly not expected this at all. How had they come to this conclusion? Well, at least she would be a possible novice and not a…definite novice.

"We will escort you, but considering you are a bit older than the usual novice, there may be the chance that your enrollment could be hindered," Liandra explained. The swordswoman wondered silently how she spoke with a veil over her mouth. "Until we arrive at the Tower, you will not be under any obligation to make a definitive decision. We will, however, test your strengths in the One Power during our trek."

"Will I be able to train in the sword? Gaining the title of Blademaster is still my top priority."

"Blademaster," Ryn said inquisitively.

"Yes. I've been training since I was a child."

Ryn turned to Liandra, her face still flat. "If her priorities are not to the Tower, she may not make it past novice."

Liandra shrugged slightly, closing her eyes for a small moment before repeating an old adage. "The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills."

"Well said, sister." Turning back to Kaci, as if she had not just ignored her while speaking of her, she said, "I see no harm in allowing you to train with our Gaidin, if they are willing."

"Very well, then."

"If you are enrolled in the White Tower as a novice, further training of your sword skills will be decided by the Mistress of Novices."

"Fair enough. When do we leave, Aes Sedai?"

"Tomorrow at dawn," Ryn Sedai said matter-of-factly. "Of course, the White Tower will be paying for your room tonight and any other amenities we may need until our arrival."

"Sounds good to me," Kaci said, her eyes lighting up as the waitress brought a plate of beef that smelled of garlic and herbs surrounded by rice. She assumed that the Aes Sedai would pay for this, too. As she cut into the tender meat, she couldn't help but think that she may have bitten off more than she could chew.


End file.
